Happening of Nature

Storms happen. They rage and alter our daily routines and even change the landscape. Erosion shapes hills and flatlands alike, as well as changing the course of rivers and borders of lakes. Flood water destroys buildings and homes. And earthquakes? They violently reshape the world around us, can even extinguish lives. Volcanoes, too.

Nature happens. It is all around us. Unseen forces define the creation and course of nature’s action. We live with it and avoid the negative effects as much as possible. But lately? We build ocean front properties with a view. We seek better locations without much concern about how nature may damage or destroy it.

We have often done this. Camping in forests is encouraged, including open campfires which could burn down the very forest in which we seek refuge. We carelessly pollute the waters we seek for peace and quiet. And we easily pollute the air we breathe.

Human beings often act as though mother nature will take care of us no matter how we challenge its very existence.

I grew up in the southwest. We were taught to value clean air, water and soil. We guarded against forest fires. We sought to preserve the beauty of nature in all we did. That’s a good start, but it requires a lifelong commitment. And not just from me or us. All of humankind needs to make this commitment to preserve the natural resources of mother nature. And live it to keep it.

I worry about public policy that does not recognize all of this. What we have worked for long and hard is now being destroyed by a president’s administration interested only in power and money. Shameful. We must, as a people, make sacrifices to protect and preserve mother nature’s assets. This will serve us in the short term but serve also subsequent generations far into the future. Not to do this, invites almost certain disaster.

Experience teaches us these things. Wisdom preserves it for the long run.

June 6, 2025


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